Key meeting in Brussels addresses Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian concerns in Nineveh Plains, Iraq

BRUSSELS — In Brussels, a significant gathering took place involving the Iraqi Ambassador to Belgium Ahmed Tahseen Barwari, representative of the Chaldean Church in Brussels Father Musa Yaramesha, Co-Chair of the European Syriac Union (ESU) Fahmi Virgili, and civil activist Behnam Sham. The group discussed critical issues pertaining to the well-being of the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community in Iraq, particularly in Nineveh Plains.

Emphasis was placed on the significance of reinstating the Republican Decree concerning the status of Chaldean Patriarch Mar Louis Raphael I Sako as the head of the Church endowment and facilitating the return of the Chaldean Church’s patriarchate to its original headquarters in Baghdad.

In July, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid issued a decree in which he revoked the decree that had been issued by the former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in 2013 regarding the appointment of Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Mor Louis Raphael Sako role in administering the Chaldean Endowment.

Following the revocation, Patriarch Sako issued a letter that announces his withdrawal from the Patriarchal Residence in Baghdad to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

The Brussels meeting also underscored the urgent necessity to halt any initiatives seeking to alter the demographic composition of Nineveh Plains. The participants unanimously stressed the importance of normalizing the situation in the region to ensure stability and security.

Outside the Iraqi embassy’s headquarters in Brussels, members of the community gathered in protest against the Iraqi president’s decision to rescind the republican decree of Patriarch Louis Sako. The demonstration marked the significance and urgency of the issues discussed during the meeting.

Bugün öğleden sonra, Belçika’nın başkenti Brüksel’de, Irak Büyükelçiliğinde son gelişmeler ile ilgili bir görüşme yapıldı. Brüksel Keldani kilisesi din adamı Abuna Musa Yaramış, Avrupa Süryaniler Birliği, ESU Başkanı Fehmi Vergili ve aktivist Behnam Sham görüşmeye katıldı. pic.twitter.com/76w1UmQ6Ax

— EuropeanSyriacUnion (@esu_int) September 13, 2023